Process of producing plates for printing.



No.740,352. PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

' H. P. ARM PROGBSS 0P PRODUCING PLATES FOR PRINTING.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1901.

10 MODEL UNITED STATES.

Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM PHELPS ARMS, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDSTO EDGAR C. LINN, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING PLATES FOR'PRINTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,352, datedSeptember 29, 1903.

' Application filed August 21, 1901- derial No. 72,821. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM PHELPS ARMS, a

Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inProcesses of Producin g Plates for Printing; and my preferred manner ofcarrying out the invention is set forth in the following full, clear,and exact description, terminating with claims particularly specifyingthe novelty.

This invention relates to a process for formin g high-relief plates fortypographical printing, and it is particularly adapted for formingplates for printing in colors with crayon edects on common type-presses.

By prior lithographic processes the conceptions of the artist arereproduced upon stone by the aid of photography and also are delineateddirectly upon stone withlithographic ink or crayon. Both of thesemethods necessitate the exercise of particular skill in the manipulationof various instruments and chemicals employed and require the use of aslow lithographic press for printing, as the conceptions are not etchedand reproduced on the stone in high relief.

- By previous engraving processes the conceptions are reproduced uponmetal plates by the aid of photography and also are deline ated uponsurfaces prepared on metal plates by the application of granularmaterial made to adhere to the plate by the action of heat. Thesemethods necessitate the employment of chemicals in preparing theplates,which raise the cost, increase the labor, and, while they 1 plateretainv the particles 3 of acid-resisting produce etched plates in highrelief which may be used in typographical presses, the.

delineations cannot be altered and changed at will and numbers ofaccurately-registering ofisets cannot be easily obtained.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and. rapidprocess of forming metal printing-plates that has such procedure thatthe artist may give full expression to his conceptions directly upon themetal surfaces of the-plates, which will thus receive the impress of hisindividuality and that will permit the artist to'freely erase, correct,and alter the delineations and take off as many 36011.

rately-registering offsets as desired directly surface 2 mechanicallyproduced by sand apfrom the key-plate for forming the colorplates.

. Figure l of the drawings represents a conception being delineated withan etching-resist directly upon the mechanically-grained surface of adense metal plate. Fig. 2 represent-s a small section of a plate beforeit has been grained. Fig. 3 represents a section of a plate with thesurface grained. Fig. 4 represents the application of resist to portionsof the grained surface of a plate. Fig. 5 represents a section of theplate with the grained portion of the surface that is not protected bythe primary resist removed by the etchingacid. Fig. 6 represents asection of the plate with the surface still further etched. Fig.7represents the section of the plate with the surface that is unprotectedetched deeper. The grained portions of the sections of the plates shownin these views are greatly magnified. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 show sectionsof the plate magnified still more, illustrating the manner of protectingthe points which have been protected by the primary resist by thestrengthening-resist until the plate has been etched to the requireddepth.

In carrying out this process the conception of the artist is delineatedby strokes, lines, or stippling with the 'ordinary lithographic crayonor ink, containing lampblack and grease or similar acid-resistingmaterials, di-

rectly upon the plate 1, preferably zinc, that is perfectly level andhas a uniform granular 5 plied by an ordinary graining-machine.

The projecting grains on the surface of the materials that are abradedfrom the delineating-crayon 4,and of course when the strokes or linesare light but little crayon will be abraded the conception delineateddirectly upon it in crayon is without further preparation immersed in arather Weak solution of nitric acid for a short time, perhaps half aminute. The lampblack and grease of the crayon form a sufficient resistfor this short immersion in the weak acid-bath that accomplishes the inthe etching-bath.

preliminary etching, so that the conception is reproduced in a verylight relief upon the plate. In fact, the relief at this stage is solight as to be hardly noticeable tothe eye.

The plate is removed from this preliminary bath and dried under a gentleheat, and then a resistin g-powder,preferab1y dragons-blood, is spreadupon it. Particles 5 of this powder adhere to the particles of crayonand strengthen the resisting capacity of the crayon, and after thesuperfluous powder is shaken off the plate is immersed in theetching-bath for approximately one minute. After removing and thoroughlydrying acidresisting powder is sprinkled upon the plate and brushed of1in one direction with a fine brush, preferablya camels-hair brush. Afterheating the plate hot and allowing it to cool it is again sprinkled withresisting-powder. This is brushed off in a different direction. Theheating and cooling of the plate and the sprinkling of powder areperformed fourtimes,each time the powderbeingbrushed off in a differentdirection. As a result of this the resisting-powder is banked on eachside of the minute particles of metal that have been protected from theaction of the acid beneath the grains of crayon, and so protects theraised points that the acid will not eat under them when the plate isagain immersed The plate is then immersed in the etching-acidapproximately from four to six minutes, according to the judgment of theetcher. After drying the plate is again heated, powdered, and brushedfour times, as before, and then immersed in the acid approximately fromfive to six minutes, as desired. The plate is then dried and preferablyrolled with proof printing-ink, heated, powdered, and brushed fourtimes, as before,and immersed in the acid-bath approximately from sevento eight minutes, according to judgment. The plate is then dried,trimmed, and mounted on a block type high and is ready to use in theordinary printing-- are cut to the size of the original and dampenedwith turpentine free of all greasy matter. The chalk covered proofs arethen placed upon the grained metal surfaces of the color-plates and putin a proof-press and an impression in chalk is taken. The turpentinethat has been used to dampen the plates evaporates, leaving a clearimpression of the original drawing, upon which the artist proceeds todraw for the color as necessary. The color-plates are then treated inexactly the same manner as the original key-plate. As the surfaces ofthe plates are not chemically prepared and there are no films to handle,the ofiset impressions are exact copies of the original, so that thecolors will register accurately. I

In the practice'of this process the minute quantity of lampblack orother fatty matter contained in the crayon forms the first resist forthe etching mordant, thus enabling the etcher to retain the lightesttones of the conception until the relief is sufficient to receive thepowder which forms the secondary resist and strengthens the crayonprimary resist. This fact allows the reproduction of conception incrayon efiects without originally drawing the conception upon paper andby photographic methods transferring it to the plate. These plates,which will accurately register, may be used on any ordinaryprinting-press.

I claim as my invention 1. The herein-described process of forminghigh-relief plates for typographical printing, which consists indelineating the conception to be reproduced with an etching-resistdirectly upon a mechanically-grained surface of a dense metal plate,subjecting the plate with the conception thus delineated without furthertreatment to a bath containing an etching solution and lightly etchingthe surface of the plate, then removing the plate from the bath andrepeatedly strengthening the primary etching-resist by the addition ofresistingpowder and immersing the plate with the primary resist thusstrengthened in the etchingbath until the plate has been so etched thatthe conception stands in high relief, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described process of forming high-relief plates fortypographical printing, which consists in delineating the conception tobe reproduced with an etching-resist directly upon amechanically-grained surface of a dense metal plate, subjecting theplate with the conception thus delineated without further treatment to abath containing an etching solution and lightly etching the surface ofthe plate, then removing the plate from the bath and repeatedlystrengthening the primary etching-resist by the addition ofacid-resisting powder and immersing the plate with the primary resistthus strengthened in the etching-bath until the plate has been so etchedthat the conception stands in high relief, inking the key-plate thusproduced, taking ofisets from the key-plate in proof-ink, dustingtheproofs before dry with red powder, impressing the red-powdered proofs(11- In testimony whereof I have hereunto subrectly upon the metalsurfaces of meehaniescribed my signature this the 21st day ofAuallygrained plates, delineating upon the gust, A. D. 1901.

plates the parts desired to be printed by the 1 HIRAM PHELPS ARMS.individual plate, and etching these plates the Witnesses: 7

same asthe key-plate, substantially as de- NEWTON L. COLLAMER,

scribed. FANNIE R. FITTON.

